AFSCME Pres. Lee Saunders issued the following statement about oral arguments today before the United States 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court is hearing arguments in Janus v. AFSCME, a case out of Illinois that represents a renewed effort by corporate and special interest groups to upend the longstanding rights of people who work in public service – people like teachers, firefighters, nurses, and social workers – to come together, speak up for their communities, and get ahead:

“It is clear that the corporate CEOs and wealthy special interests behind this case will stop at nothing to make it harder for public service workers like teachers, firefighters, nurses, and public safety workers to speak up together for better public services, stronger communities, and wages and protections that benefit all Americans. Our economy is out of balance, manipulated to benefit those who are already wealthy, and this case could make it even worse.

“From child-protection investigators to nurses to first responders, public service workers go neighborhood to neighborhood, working to keep their communities safe, healthy and strong. It is their ability to band together with their co-workers as a union to speak up for better staff levels, training, and safety procedures that enable them to keep their communities running smoothly. It would be shameful to see the Circuit Court of Appeals decide the case in favor of wealthy special interests and put the working families and communities at risk.”